Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has charged the leadership of the Church not to be deceived by information flying around over the recent incident at Awo Omamma involving security operatives and some bad boys.
He spoke at the St. John Beloved Catholic Church at Umuna Ahu Uratta, Owerri on Sunday during a thanksgiving service to mark one year of the death of Chief (Sir) Patrick Chukwuemeka Chikeka, husband of the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Theresa Chikeka.
Governor Uzodimma who said the Church must partner with the government to restore confidence in the larger society, further challenged its leadership to take seriously the activities of some desperate politicians in Imo State who work to destabilise the government, using false information on social media as a tool of blackmail.
Recall that gunmen suspected to be operatives of Ebubeagu Security outfit reportedly opened fire and killed seven wedding guests.
DAILY POST had earlier reported that the ugly incident happened last Sunday when the victims were going back to their community in Otulu in Oru East Local Government Area of the state
The governor said, “for instance, he expected them to condemn the attack on his country home, the attack on the country home of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prof. George Obiozor, as well as the attacks on the homes of other government officials but they never did.
He said while such so-called leaders in Imo State have not seen the need to speak up on generous kidnapping activities, beheading of Imo citizens, killing of traditional rulers and the act of cannibalism associated with most of our youths involved in banditry, they are quick to embark on condolence visit at Awo Omamma without even making efforts to ascertain the true position of things.
The Governor regretfully recalled the harrowing experience the Auxiliary Bishop Chikwe went through in the hands of the bandits when they kidnapped him last year and took him to Oguta before he was released, noting that what happened to the Bishop is not what one ought to experience.
Governor Uzodimma reiterated that the primary reason government exists is the protection of lives and property of the citizenry and that the worse thing that can happen to a society is if the government abandons its responsibility to non-state actors.
He explained: “There is no responsible government that would want to take life because the reason for government is to protect lives and property. There is also no responsible government that would encourage any act that would take human life, particularly innocent lives.”
The Governor who urged the Church leadership to be painstaking in finding out the true position of things before taking a position said through his actions and performance in the past two and half years, it is not in doubt that he has come to serve Imo people.
He challenged his opponents to point to what, where and how he has taken anything belonging to Imo people since assuming office, noting that “it is because they don’t have anything against me that they have decided to focus on my wrist watch as if they didn’t know who Hope Uzodimma was before he came into office.”